Down to Middlewich

Another broken night for no very good reason that either of us can see, so another early start, with a fair bit to do today. After a quick cup of tea, Sheila set out steering whilst I got some food down me and then took over. I’d expected to make quite quick progress along the pound to the south of Sandbach, which is usually quite deep as a result of subsidence leading to the wash walls being built up over the years.

But the level was down and the silt was up so that we were restricted to not much above 3 mph for most of the time. We locked down the Booth Lane three, meeting our first boat of the day between the two lower locks. It had been very misty and murky first thing, but now the sun was burning off the cloud and mist to give another very warm day.

We had to tie outside two other boats at Kings Lock Chandlery to get diesel; 89ppl domestic and any declaration. They don’t do pump out, so we went along to Middlewich Narrowboats for one. MN don’t do diesel as their pump hasn’t been plated by Weights and Measures; they hope to get it done next year when they’ll be able to start selling to the public.

With toilet tank empty and diesel tank full we were soon working down the three narrow locks to find a mooring beyond Town Bridge. Traffic had really built up now and the cut has continued busy since. This is a bit odd; once past the junction we were off the Four Counties Ring and expected things to be quieter, but the reverse has been the case.

After some fresh food shopping in town we had an early lunch before moving on to tie on the towpath at Bramble Cuttings. We’ve had to use pins as all the rings were full; it’s just as well we have good big marquee peg type pins as the average speed of the passing boats has gone up quite noticeably. I suspect folk get used to the faster speeds possible on the broad and deep waters of the Bridgewater and don’t make enough allowance for the T&M’s shallower profile; it’s a phenomenon we’ve noticed up this way before.

On the shallower Midlands canals you just can’t maintain that sort of speed.

I suggested to one character that he had a bit of a fast tickover, but just got some indignant denial back. It’s too nice a day to stay grumpy for long, but I did take care to tighten up the lines and check the pins just in case there are any more like him about…

/blur

Tomorrow we’ll amble off to Anderton probably; no more locks for a bit at least. We’ve decided not to bother with the Weaver this year; the Caldon can count as our new water. We’re going to run up the Bridgewater as far as Dunham Massey, stopping off to have a look at places we’ve missed over the years like Grappenhall Old Village and Dunham Massey itself.